Electrical outlet



April 13, 1943. w. HUPPERT i ELECTRICAL OUTLET Filed NOV. 29, 1941 lNvENToR ML L /A/y/ Ha/25e 7.'

BY www ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEcnucAL OUTLET l A William Huppert, New York, N. Y. Application November 29, 1941, Serial No. 420,929 4 Claims. (Cl. T13-338)I This invention relates to electrical outlets, and

particularly to those of the type known to the trade as convenience outlets.

Such outlets are adapted for attachment to the wires oi an electrical conductor, and to be secured to a baseboard or other support by means of a screw that passes through the outletv and also serves to fasten the parts together. The outlets provide a convenient attachment for connection of lamps or other electrical devices to the conductor.

The outlet vcomprises generally a housing ot i'nsulating material containing the contact members, and an insulating cover plate. [Examples of auch outlets are disclosed in my Patents Nos.

1,818,804 and 2,248,675 and the Benjamin Patent No. 1,618,909.

The present invention relates specifically to certain improvements in this type of outlet, hereinafter described and claim One object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the wires -of an electrical conductor may be readily and easily connected to the outlet.

Another object is to provide the outlet with guideways that facilitate proper placement oi the wires, prevent accidental displacement thereof, and provide an eilicient strain relief therefor.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the insulating cover plate presses on the wires to conine them securely in the guideways and to eifect good contact with the contact members. i

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description theref of, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which: .y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a double convenience outlet embodying the invention, with the housing partly broken away;

Fig. 2V is a bottom plan view thereof l Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the cover plate partly broken away;

Fig. 4.is a sectional elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cover plate;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a single convenience outlet, with the cover plate partly broken away; and

Fig. 7 is a Vsectional elevation on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6. A

The invention may be applied either to a mulconvenience outlet and in Figs. .6 and 7 it is shown as applied to a single convenience outlet. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The outlet comprises a housing I of molded insulating material, and an insulating cover plate Il, such as a ilat liber disc or washer, configured to lit into and close the bottom `opening of the housing. Each of the upper inclined walls I2 of the housing of the double convenience outlet (Fig. 4), or the top wall I3 of the single convenience outlet (Fig. 7), is provided with the usual openings i4 for insertion of the blades of standard plugs (not shown) to make contact with the contact members I seated on the shoulders I8 in the housing. Each contact member comprises a terminal portion l1 and one or more spring contact portions I8. 'I'he terminal portions are preferably provided with teeth I9 to effect pin point contact with the separate insulated wires 20 of the duplex electrical conductor 2l, although terminal or binding screws may be used. Ihe housing has a central opening 22 for passage of the fastening screw 23, or its equivalent, which screw fastens the outlet to its support.

The housing I0 is also provided with guideposts or bosses 24, of any suitable shape, one at each side of the terminal portions I1 of the contact members, which posts are preferably somewhat elongated in cross-section and molded integral with the housing. They are spaced from the inner surface of the housing wall to provide guideways 25 for proper placement of the wires 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The posts 24 are of such height that theil outer or bottom ends 20 will lie in, or only slig tly below, the plane of the bottomrface 21 of the housing wall, as best seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 7, to aii'ord gudeways of sumcient depth to hold the wiresagainst asceldental displacement, and for the purposes hereinafter described.

'I'he cover plate il has openings 28 that are spaced and shaped to receive the ends 26 of the tiple convenience outlet, or to a single convenience outlet. In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, I have illustrated the invention as embodied in a double guide-posts 24. It also has a substantially central opening 28 for passage of the screw 23. The openings 2l do not have to extend entirely through the cover plate since it is merely necessary that they be deep enough, depending on the thickness of the cover plate, to permit the latter to slide in and out on the ends 20 of the guideposts, as will be seen on comparison ot Figs. 1V and 4, an extent suillcient that the cover plate may be pressed tightly against the wires, particularly when the fastening screw is screwed home.

the scopexof the invention.

It wm be apparent from the foregoing descrip- 7 tion that when the lwires are laid in the guideways. and the cover plate is pressed against them, they will be conilned securely implace.

The improved construction serves not only effectively to bind or hold the wires securely in place but it also aiords anv emcient relief for the strain to which the wires might be subjected by undue pulling of the conductor or outlet relatively to each other. Furthermore, since the ends o'f l0 the guide-posts extend into the openings in the cover plate, the height of the outlet housing may be reduced with a consequent saving in material portions of the contact members I5. Where the terminal portions are formed with teeth @,it will not be necessary to bare the wires since the teeth will penetrate the insulation and eect good electrical contact. After the wires have been placed in the guideways, and contact has been made with the contact members. the coverplate is set in the bottom opening of -the hous ing and pressed against the wires. The outlet is then fastened to the baseboard-or support by means oi the screw 23. 'I'he lower face of the 30 cover plate may initially extend Just a little below the bottom face of the housing, as indicated in Fig. l, so that as the outlet is screwed homeon its support. the cover plate will be pressed tightly against the wires, as seen in Fig. 4. One or more of theseoutlets may beconnected to the same conductor as desired. c l

Various modifications in the details of construction herein described may be made within 4 What I claim is:

l. In an electrical outlet, a housing having an exterior wall open at one end, contacts having terminal portions seated in the housing, a post adjacent each terminal portion spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the housing ,wall to form a guideway for confining a conductor wire therebetween positioned on the terminal portion of a contact, the ends of said posts being substantiauy nush with the end of the housing wan, 5

and a detachable cover-plate closing the open. end of the housing and having openings in which theends of the posts are received to permit of pressing the cover-plate tightly against the wires.

2. In an electrical outlet, a4 housing having an exterior wall open at one end, contacts having terminal portions seated in the housing, a post adjacent each terminal portion spaced inwardly from the inner surfaceof the housing wall to form a guideway'for confining a conductor wire therebetween positioned on the terminal portion of a contact. said posts extending a substantial distance beyond the terminal portions, and a detachable cover-plate closing the open end oi the housing and 4having' openings in which the ends of the posts are received to permit of pressing the cover-plate tightly against the wires.

3. In an electrical outlet, a housing having an exterior wall open at one end, an opening in the side of the wall for reception of a-duplex conductor, contacts having terminal portions seated in the housing, a post adjacent each terminal portion spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the housing wall to form a guideway for conning a wire of the conductor therebetween positioned on the terminal portion of a contact, said posts being out of line with the opening in the side oi the housing wall and having their ends substantially ilush with the end of said wall,'and a detachable cover-plate closing the open end of the housing and having openings for receiving the ends of the posts to permit of pressing the cover-plate inward tightly against the wires.

4. In an electrical outlet, a housing having-'an exterior wall open at one end, contacts having terminal portions seated in the housing, a post adjacent each terminal spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the housing wall to form a guldeway for conning a conductor wire therebetween o positioned on the terminal portion of a contact.

said posts extending a substantial distance 'beyond the terminal portions, a detachable coverplate fitting into the open end of the housing and having openings in which the ends of the posts are received. and a screw passing through the housing and cover-plate to fasten the outlet to WILLIAM HUPPERT. 

